Chasing the Night
by Madison Dyann
Summary: I didn't fall in love. I was pushed.
1. Prologue

**I barely remember my human life. It was so long ago it's all become a blur. But the past six hundred and fifty year I remember quite vividly. But in order for me to tell you my never ending story I should start at the beginning with what I do remember.**

**I was born in Castelnaud-la-Chapelle in 1340. Castelnaud-la-Chapelle was commune on the bank of the Dordogne in southern was a small town built on the side of a large hill that overlooked the Dordogne River. By family moved there at the start of the Hundred Years' War. Through it was located in the center of France it pledged allegiance to England during the war, as did my family.**

**My mother named me Claire de Cervole after Saint Clare of Assisi. I think she wanted me to take the same path as Saint Claire, to forsake everything and honor God by joining a nunnery. But life does always go as planned. I was the third out of of five children. My older brother and sister died of the plague when I was a young child. A daughter was seen as a burden on the family until the time for marriage, when they could 'push' her off onto someone else. Through marriage could better a family's social and financial standing. When I turned 16 my father enter in to negations with Sir Oliver de Vannes over my hand in marriage. A year later the date was set.**

**Oliver was 25 years old when he asked for my hand. It was odd for a man of his age to not be married, but I guess it was due to the war. But now that a short period of peace had engulfed the region, I suppose he decided it was finally time to get married. Oliver was handsome, caring and pretty much everything a woman wanted in a man. But I still wasn't every enthusiastic about marrying him.**

**I know that my father could have pick a worse man as my future husband but it was the thought of marriage that scared me. My life had been lived for me and when I was finally married would be given for freedom than I was use too. I wasn't sure if I could handle the sudden weight of responsibility. I was like a caged animal that when let loose, unsure of where to go or what to do. I was positive that I would to my mother for help more than once.**

**My mother was an example of a great wife. She stood by my father through good and bad times. She remained loyal and supportive of my father all through their 30 year marriage. She gave him two healthy sons and a daughter and she was a great mother to her children. That was my future; honor God and my husband, give birth to children and raise them. I was content with my future.**

**Then Aro found me.**


	2. Un

While I don't remember the majority of my human life, I remember the last day of that life like it was yesterday. I died on April 15th of 1357. I can recall every defining detail from that last day as if it was a picture. I guess remembrance of that day was due to the fact that it the end of one life and the beginning of another.

It started as a normal day. I opened my eyes that morning to the sound of Elena calling my name. Elena was my servant and had been for quite some time. She was a few years older than me. As I opened my eyes I was greeted by my expensively decorated room. The room had a circular shape to it due to the fact that it was built in one of the many towers in Castelnaud-la-Chapelle. My large bed was centered between two rectangular windows. The covers on the bed were made of red silk that had been imported from Italy. Varies paintings and tapestries lined the walls.

Elena was dressed in a simple pale green loose-fitting dress. Since she was married her black hair was hidden beneath a red hood. "Come, my Lady. It's time to get ready." I had been awake already for about an hour. I didn't sleep well. I never did. Everyday started out the same way, with church. Everyone went once a day and some people, like my mother, went twice. I never really was a religious person, even through my mother tried to make me one.

I crawled out from the warmth of my bed and stretched my arms. Elena helped me get dressed like she usually did. The lavender dress she pushed over my head fell down to my ankles. The wool dress hugged my waist before flowing over my hips and my legs. I was self-consciouses of my body then. Being thin back then was a sign of poverty or disease.

After adjusting the strings on the back of the dress, Elena started on my hair. She braided my long wavy red hair into a single loose braid. Behind us, I heard the door open and my mother's voice complaining about how I wasn't ready yet. Many people told me that I looked very much like my mother. We had the same red hair. The same bright blue eyes and pale skin. But while we looked alike we were two very different people. She was extremely judgmental and outspoken while I was open-minded and timid. She thought things though before she acted while I was very impulsive. If I wasn't so impulsive this story probably wouldn't be as interesting.

I followed silently behind my mother as we walked through Castelnaud-la-Chapelle to the chapel, which was locate adjacent to the great hall. The chapel was already half-way full. I followed my mother as passed other knights and ladies as we made our way to the front pew. As we sat down next to my father, the priest started to enter the chapel and the ceremony started.

*********

Two hours later people were pouring out of the chapel towards the great hall for breakfast. It was about nine in the morning but instead of following river of people went walked casually away from them and into the courtyard. The smallest of Castelnaud's courtyards was filled with colorful display of plants. There for thick green vines that grew on the stone walls, reaching towards the sky. Two large rose bushes were planted on either side of the entrance to the main castle. As I walked through the yard I passed flowers of all colors; red, purple, yellow, pink.

But I ignored all that as I walked through the exit and up the stairs that lead onto the outer wall. The further I walked, the higher the wall went. I stopped after walking up the final set of stairs that placed me on the wall's highest point. This part of the wall overlooked east side of Castelnaud. There was only about 50 feet of level ground before the forest started to decent into the Dordogne river 500 feet below. The was barely noticeable at first but after about a hundred feet in the forest the ground was disappeared from beneath you.

I leaned against the wall, placing my hand on my chin. I stared out at the landscape before me. Over the top of the trees, off in the horizon, I could see where the river C ou flowed into the Dordogne. The morning's light reflected off the water of the two rivers causing them to have a metallic appearance. I moved my eyes closer in; at the large trees that covered the majority of the cliff. My eyes moved towards the tree line put something caught my attention.

Standing about five feet into the forest was a figure of what appeared to be a man. I couldn't make out his face due to the shadows casted by the trees. He appeared to be looking up at the top of wall; at me. I squinted in the sunlight, trying to make out his face. I watched as he lifted his arm and waved slowly at me.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" A familiar voice said from beside me. Slightly startled, I turned my head to face my future husband. Oliver de Vannes was tall and well-built. His face was tan due to the amount of sun exposure. There were small laugh lines around his mouth and nose. His auburn hair stopped just above his brown eyes. He was wearing his usual red English uniform, complete with the long sword that was placed on his hip.

I turned away, for fear of him seeing me blush. I looked back down at the forest, but the man was no longer there. "Yes, it is." I said shyly.

Oliver took his place beside me. He placed his hand on top of mine. "What are you doing up here, Clarie?" He said calmly.

I exhaled slowly. "I like the view." I said truthful. "Did my mother send you up here?" I asked, curious.

Slowly, a smile spread across Oliver's handsome face. "Yes. Actually she did. She wanted me to return you to the great hall for breakfast." He laughed. "So, are you coming?" 


	3. Deux

I followed Oliver down to the great hall for breakfast. I endured the stares and veiled whispers as I sat in between Oliver and my mother. After eating I furtively made my way back upstairs. I stopped at the first door, which was about halfway up the tower. I pulled the black metal latch on the door and entered the dim room. I removed the small piece of wood that was indolently placed in front on the window to bar rain and wind from entering the room at night. With the wood's removal, pale yellow sunshine penetrated the small room.

Centered in the room stood a sewing mannequin wearing a long pastel blue dress. My wedding dress was almost finished. All that was left was to sew the finishing embroidery on. The blue dress glowed in the noon sunlight. The train was twice as long as the dress itself and trimmed in white thread. I stood silent as I let a piece of the cold cloth run through my fingers. I could picture myself wearing it while I stood next to Oliver on our wedding day. The thought brought a thin tear to my eye that fell slowly down my cheek. I wasn't sure if the tear was due to fear or excitement. It was probably a mixture of both. I replaced the piece of wood and shut the door behind me as I stepped back into the stairwell.

I returned to my room a few minutes later. The room was empty of everyone except me. Elena and my mother were probably off arranging last minute wedding details. My mother was enjoying this whole wedding ordeal a little too much in my opinion. I wondered what she would do after I was married and nothing else needed to be arranged. I went quietly to the chest placed at the end of my bed. I lifted the leather-covered lid and started pushing numerous dresses and blanket aside as I dug deeper. Almost at the bottom, hidden inside a red folded blanket, was a small bundle of clothes. I pulled it out and neatly laid everything back in its place before closed the lid.

I unfolded the bundle which simply consisted of a tunic with a hood, ankle length pants and black shoes. The tunic and pants were a muddy color and worn in the elbows and knees. I quickly slipped out my tight fitting grown and threw on the loose clothing. The clothes hid any curves and hid any evidence that was a woman. I pulled my expensive jewelry and pulled on a pair of long tan socks before slipping into the shoes. The lifted the hood onto my head to hid my braided red hair. To everyone you didn't know better would see a boy of maybe twelve, not a 17-year-old girl of noble birth on the eve of her wedding day. I hid my dress in the chest before exiting the room and running down the stairs to the great hall.

Getting out of the castle without being caught was the hard part. Even through I had done it a thousand times I was still paranoid about getting out. I kept my head down as I moved through the castle. No one paid my any attention as I walked out of the courtyard and into the public market place. Still no one bothered me as I went into the stables, which were located adjacent to the main gate that lead out into town. I walked through the stable while trying not to breath through my nose for the air smelled like combination manure and possibly a dead animal or two. I calmly walked into the second to last stable, which housed the smallest of my family's horses.

He was a rouncey horse, used mainly riding or transportation. All of the horses my family owned were too large of me or too conspicuous for me to ride in public, except for this one. His black coat had a hint of blue due to the sunlight. His big browns eyes stared as me as started to place the saddle on his back. He nudged me with his nose when I adjusted the saddle to fit more comfortably. When I was done I lifted myself up and into the saddle. I fixed my hood so it still hid my long hair. I snapped the reins lightly and the horse gently trotted out of the stable and through the front gate.

***Author's Note***

**Thanks for reading/reviewing. I hope you like it. Aro will appear in the next chapter!**

**-------Madison Dyann-------**


	4. Trois

While the east and north sides of Castelnaud were steep cliffs that stood about 500 feet above the Dordogne River, the south and west sides had a much more gradual decline. I steered the horse through the town that surround the walls of the castle. I rode through the uneven stone streets of the town, keeping my head down. It was early spring so the farmers and their families' were outside, working in the fields. Small children chased each other from house to house. Inside of following the now unpaved road all the way down the hill I veered the horse onto a small narrow dirt trail which lead into the forest.

Clouds had developed in the sky making it darker in the forest that usual. The trees in the forest were tall and wide; having been there for decades. The forest became denser the farther I went in. But after about half a mile in the trees started to thin again. The meadow that appeared when my horse stepped out of the forest was elliptical in shape but uneven. It was also created when the war started. The trees were cut down and used to reinforce the castle. Several large stumps still remained; hidden beneath the knee high grass. The dirt trail cut the meadow in half diagonally. I stayed on the trail, enjoying the light breeze that threatened to knock my hood off. I liked coming here; it was the main reason I slipped out of the castle. It was beautiful, through its beauty didn't really shine in that day's gloomy sky.

When I was over half way across the meadow I pulled lightly on the reins to slow the horse. I normally crossed the meadow into the forest on the other side, following the trail for another mile before turning around and heading back. But in the past I was the only one on the trail. That day, how ever, there was a person standing on the edge of the meadow, where the trail continues into the forest. The person was clothed in a dirt brown cloak, which was pulled of their head. They're back was bent as if they were lending on something for assistants. The worn cloak covered their face but I could make out strands of gray hair. It appeared to be an elderly person; most likely a woman. I continued to follow the trail at a slow pace while keeping my eye on the old lady. People in the forest weren't an uncommon thing. The war had destroyed many homes and forced people to relocate. Many now lived in the forest because it offered shelter from the weather and easy hiding places.

As I rode up beside the old women she raised gloved hand towards me as if she was excepting me to give her something. I had no food on me so instead I pulled the small leather purse from my pocket and fished three gold coins from it. As I placed them in her palm her hand closed but not just around the coins but also around my wrist. I was still confused when she pulled me roughly out of the saddle and onto the ground. By the time I even thought about screaming the gloved hand covered my mouth. As this was happening I noticed that she was no longer hutched over. As she stood up straight the hood fell off and revealed her face. The old lady was actually a man probably in his mid-twenties. His gray hair was actually a pale blonde color. My shocked turned to fear as I saw two more men walked slowly out of the forest. A second later my fear turned to panic when I saw the blonde man draw a small knife from his pocket.

I started kicking and screaming, through the screams where muffled by the man's hand. His grasp on my tightened the more I kicked. Then something, I wasn't sure what, caused him to suddenly release me. When he did so I was in the middle of a kick so instead on landing on my feet I fell on my back. The back of my head bounced out something hard, most likely a rock. Everything went black but I was still conscious. Pain erupted through my skull. I could feel the pain pulsing around my head. Just as the pain in my head was starting to subside to a soft ache, a new pain appeared but it wasn't coming from my head. It was coming from my neck; right above my left shoulder. The new pain was shaper and hotter. It spread like wildfire from my neck, down my arms and continued to fill my chest. I couldn't move; my body was paralyzed by the pain. I couldn't see and the only thing I could hear was my heartbeat in my ears. As the searing pain moved through my body I could hear my heartbeat slow.

I lost track of time. I wasn't sure how much time had pasted. Three minutes? Thirty minutes? A day? Time seemed to follow together as I lay on the ground; which I could no longer feel. I couldn't feel anything besides the pain pulsing through my veins. When the pain seemed to engulf my entire body it seemed to change direction and move back towards my heart. My heart started to best faster as the pain surround and strangle it. My heartbeat continued to increase till I thought it was going to burst. Then at the point of detonation my heart stopped. The pain slowly faded away, leaving my body weak and exhausted. Only then did my body allow me to drift off to sleep.


	5. Quatre

Many years later I learned that I wasn't actually asleep, at least not technically. When humans sleep their pulse slows and their blood pressure decreases. In deep sleep they become paralyzed; completely vulnerable to any malevolent presence. Another thing common in a human's sleep is the presence of dreams. I haven't dreamed in over 600 years. No, I wasn't asleep. My exhausted mind had drifted into a veil of my subconscious. Or the venom had caused my mind to hallucinate. I'm still not quite sure what actually caused my 'vision', for lack of a better word.

This hallucination became the first memory of my new life. I was a little girl, maybe five years old. My red hair was down and shone in the bright yellow sunlight. I was wearing a pale yellow dress that looked almost white in the sun's ray. I was in the same meadow, only the grass looked taller; or I was just smaller. A light breeze blew through the clearing, causing the green grass to brush against my still pale skin. My feet were bare and it must have rained recently because the soil was moist beneath my feet. I assumed it was mid-summer for the sun's heat was an unwelcome guest on my pale skin.

My younger self was skipping playfully through the tall blades of grass. As I danced my dress twirled in small circles. This continued for about a minute before my small self suddenly stopped. Standing in the distance, in the same spot where I was attacked, was a man. His clothes were eloquent; his doublet was a dark blue and made of rich linen. His pants were a shade lighter and he wore knee-high boots that were made of black leather. His raven hair reached down his back and was tied in a loose ponytail. His face was pale, but not a natural pale color like mine. The color wasn't the only strange thing about his skin. The sunshine seemed to be reflecting off his skin, creating small diamonds that sparkled like the stars in the sky. I couldn't decide if he was beautiful because of his features or because everything in my vision, from the dirt-covered-feet to the annoying flies swarming around my face, was beautiful.

I stood there staring at him for a few slow minutes. Then the sunlight started to fade and my younger-self's vision started blur around the edges. Blackness crept into my sight and the last thing I saw was the man lift his hand and give a slow, soft wave. My sight went black and remained that way for an uncertain about of time. When I finally opened my eyes I was no longer in the meadow. At first I thought I was back at Castlenaud but the ceiling I was looking at was too low of an arch and the stone was a white color instead of my home's old rusty color. I was laying on a large bed still in my brown dirty clothes. My arms and legs felt heavy and there was a foreign itch in the back of my throat.

The room was large and rectangular. In front of the bed was a large fireplace centered in the wall. The flames threw ghostly shadows against the stone walls. The only window allowed the night sky to leak into the room. I pushed myself up off the bed; uncertain. Only then did I notice the man sitting in a chair by the corner. It was the same man from my vision. Only now he was dressed in white. "It's about time. I was starting to worry." His voice was sophisticated and had a soft accent that I couldn't place. Now that I saw him in person rather than in my hallucination I decided the man was actually quite handsome but in a unique way. His face didn't look a day over thirty but his eyes, gray with a slight hint of blue, were much older. His eyes had seen things it would multiple lifetimes to recite. An aura of confidence and authority seemed to surround him. The only visual flaw in his appearance was done so by the firelight, which caused his pale skin to look an almost sickly color.

I was confused, but not by the situation but by my own reaction to the situation. Or lack of a reaction. Normally if I was in a room alone with a strange man I would run directly for the door, but now, in that room with that man, I felt no fear or anxiety. I felt comfortable sitting on the bed in my dirty clothes with my matted hair in a room with a man I never met before. The unpleasant thing about the situation was the growing itch in the throat. I would have been fine with just sitting there in silence for all eternity but my curiosity got the best of me. "Who are you?" My voice was even and held a new sense of confidence. The man leaned forward in the chair; causing the flickering light to move across new areas on his face. His mouth stretched into wide smile. "My name is Aro."

The name meant nothing to me; I never heard it before in my life. I remained silent; waiting patiently for him to explain. And explained he did. He answered the easiest question first, our current location. According to him the house we resided in was on the western edge of Paris. After saving me from my attackers he used my horse to make the three day ride to Paris, with me unconscious. I wasn't sure how Aro managed to explain the rest to me so it made sense but somehow he did. If we had the same conversation a few days after my transformation I would be able to recite the entire thing but by that time my senses were running wild. My attention was completely divided between the man named Aro, the smell of wine and burnt wood, the sound of passing horses, the multiple colors woven into the rug on the floor, the nest of spiders settled in the far corner by the door, and the ever-growing itch in my throat.

The attack by the thieves had left me unconscious and badly wounded, with major bleeding to my head. Aro said he had no choice but to change me; it was either change me or let me die, something he said he was unwilling to do. He explained that he was a vampire and that, now, I was too. That the itch in my back of my throat was thirst; thirst for blood. As a kid I heard stories about creatures of the damned killing travelers and other unfortunate people in the night. My mother always said they were just ghost stories to frighten young children. She was wrong; as usual.

My first kill was a fifty-something man who had passed out drunk in a darken alley in the center of Paris. I could taste the alcohol in his warm blood as it travel down my throat. It was messier then I expected. In my haste to put an end to the itch, I ignored the fact that I was getting blood all over my clothes. The itch was replaced with a uncontrollable hyperactivity and my bloody, dirty clothes with a loose fitting grass green dress.

Aro said I extremely hard to control during the first few months. After about a year and a half I was able to be around a human without immediately killing them. But I still couldn't be around large groups; that would take also five years for me to control myself. During my 'learning' period Aro and I shared an isolated farmhouse a few miles from Paris. A year passed before I started to develop feelings towards him. By the time we moved to Italy, seven years after my death, we were fully 'involved'.


	6. Cinq

Aro and I remained in the large farmhouse on the outskirts of Paris for seven years. During that time I only heard stories of Aro's home in Italy. It wasn't safe for me to travel, I was still slightly irrational and blunt with my actions; I didn't take time to think my attacks though and I was easier to handle when we stayed in one place. It wasn't until the winter of 1364 that Aro made the decision that I was ready to leave. I was nervous. Paris had been my home for seven years; France for my entire life. Even though it had been engulfed in the chaos of war, I still saw France as a great and beautiful place. I loved the land and the people of France; in a way I even loved the ones I killed. But I would not leave Aro for France. I agreed to follow him wherever he went; as long as he would have me.

Aro made the arrangements for us to take a coach nonstop all the way to Rome where we would stop for two days before taking the coach to the city of Volterra. It was December 19th of 1364 when our journey started. It was slightly too warm for it to snow so the rain came down as slush from the gray sky. The black coach reminded me of the one my old family owned, which I remember never using, only Aro's was slightly bigger. The fours horses were black to match the coach itself. They weren't large, like the warhorses I was use to, but the size of their hooves was still frightening. The driver was also dressed in black. During the entire trip I never saw the man's face and the horses smelled better than he did so something told me he wasn't human. The trip to Rome, which normally would have taken a week, only took us three days since we didn't stop along the way.

Over the past centuries Rome had become the center of the papacy and with the wealth of the Catholic church the city became a haven for people of all kinds, not just religious. Numerous monuments and chapel were built in and around Rome making the city greater. The coach came to a haul outside a granite mansion after traveling over a thousand miles without stopping. I wasn't sure how the horses managed it. As I stepped out of the coach into the dark night I could see the outline of the Colosseum in the distance. A cold wind whipped though my hair, which shined lightly in the pale moonlight. The breeze brought with it the smell of life. Now that I focused I could hear laughs and yells and the sound of pints being hit together. The sound of a mortal's life ending one quick second at a time. The all too common itch found its way into the back of my throat.

I felt the familiar touch of Aro's hand as he took hold of mine. It wasn't until many years later that I would dread Aro's touch and what he learned from it. We walked hand in hand down the empty Roman street towards the sound and smell of life, some of which ended that night. On the way back to the granite mansion the breeze became slightly stronger and cooler, we still took our time going home. The next two days passed without incident. I wasn't nervous until the time came to leave Rome for Volterra. Aro was the only other vampire I knew besides myself and I felt a little queasy about beginning thrust into largest coven of vampires in the world. I would the youngest and most inexperienced one. Not to mention I was, if it was possible, a very boring vampire.

The transformation had more directly defined my features. My cheekbones somehow became sharper and my once blue eyes were either a crimson red color or bright gold, depending on my thirst. My shiny red hair came down in loose curls while making my already pale skin appear white. The changes weren't just in my appearance. All my senses grew in strength. The hearing and physical strength changes for the hard for me to control in the beginning. It wasn't uncommon for me to zone out of my conversation with Aro and listen to the bugs and birds in a tree on the other side of the street. I broke a lot of things too in the first year; whether it be form misunderstanding the needed strength to close a door too hard or setting a glass down too hard. I became everything you'd expect a vampire to be. But I lacked the unique gift that seemed to be my race's defining characteristic. I had no power like Aro's mind-reading ability. And I knew if I came under any other circumstances I would not have been offered a spot in Aro's precious coven. And because of that I was worried.

*Author's Note*

I'm sorry it took me so long to write such a short chapter. School is out and summer started so the next chapter will be longer and not take as long.

Thanks for reading!

-Madison Dyann-


	7. Six

Volterra, Italy has been home to humans, and vampires alike, since the 8th century B.C. Four hundred years later the great defensive wall, more than seven kilometers long, was built to protect the urban center. Volterra is tucked away on hilltop, which was a defense itself, in the heart of Tuscany. In the third century B.C. Volterra was brought under Roman control after a series of battles. During the early Middle Ages, after the decline of the Roman Empire, Volterra was governed, publicly at least, by the Church. After some time with the Volturi I learned that they had a strong influence in almost every aspect of the city; politically, economically and socially. But I also learned that they only used their influence to protect their way of life. And according to Aro, the conflict Volterra had with Florence when we arrived was not threatening to their way of life. He explained that it was just a petty feud between families and the Church; nothing serious.

As our coach approached the city, I pushed my head threw the square window. Numerous walls and gates had been built since the first wall. Stone towers and buildings the color of sand rose above the many walls and silhouetted themselves against the sky. The sun was still bright as it set in the west and a soft cool breeze blew through my hair. I must have been out there for a while when Aro's calm voice broke into my sight seeing. "Claire, dear, you should sit back before you scare the poor guards." It was then that I noticed the sun's bright rays still graced the hilltop and the coach. The rays that landed on my pale skin caused it to shine like stars on a clear summer night. And I was sure it was easily visible from the city so I instantly retook my previous seat next to Aro.

The road beneath us became smoother as we passed through the main gates into the city of Volterra. The sun continued to set as the coach made it's way farther into the city. Dusk had set in the city when the coach finally stopped outside a large building. The mysterious coachmen jumped down from the driver's seat and opened the door for us. I stepped out into the night air first and Aro followed. I instantly looked up at the building before us. The left side was a tall bell tower. It rose about hundred and fifty feet into the sky and was made of the same brown stone as the other buildings. The right side looked to be the outer wall of a courtyard of some kind. There was a walk way built into the wall which ran the length of the it before turning the corner.

Aro grabbed my hand and pulled me along with him. He flashed a soft smile and said "You should see it in the daylight." I knew about Aro's gift and for some reason it never concerned me. When you reach a certain age, it's impossible to be embarrassed. And it was sometimes easier to think something than speak it out loud. And I was sure Aro had heard worst than my trivial thoughts. The interior the building was very similar to the outside; brown, stone and some what cold. The driver stayed outside with the horses, so Aro and I were left alone to walk through the dreary corridor. Many minutes passed and I started to notice that the hallway angled downwards in a very small degree. The brown stones clearly got older the farther we walked into the corridor, which seemed to be taking the shape of a tunnel.

After another couple hundred feet I saw light at what I presumed was the end of the tunnel. I could tell by the flickering the light came from a torch. A few minutes later I realized, with a small sense of satisfaction, that I was right. On each side of the tunnel two metal torches were mounted on the wall. The firelight caste ghoulish shadow against the brown walls. Behind the glowing torches were two a highly detailed doors. They appeared to be made of wood but they were painted a bright white. Carved in the wood were multiple curved designs stretching from the bottom to the top and from the left to the right side of each door. The door handles, two simple metal spheres coated in gold, finished the picture.

If I had a heartbeat I'm certain it would have increased to a dangerous level as we continued to approach the large doors. It couldn't have taken us five minutes to walk the remaining distance but to me it felt like a lifetime, which, as I look back at it now, is completely ironic since I will never know what a lifetime feels like. The seventeen years I was live can hardly be considered a normal length of a life. But even though my body would never again show signs of discomfort it was still expressed internally in my emotions. And as Aro released my hand and placed his on the door handle the feeling of nervousness and apprehension grew and by the time Aro opened one of the white doors my whole body was consumed.

*Author's Note*

Sorry about the long wait.

The past couple chapters have been kinda hard to write due to major writer's block. But I've seen Eclipse three times now so that has helped me a lot.

-Madison Dyann-


	8. Sept

Inside the doors was the largest room I'd ever seen, and I've seen a lot of rooms. The room was an odd circular shape. The ceiling rose a sagging thirty feet into the air and was decorated with colorful and highly detailed murals. The floor was just as beautiful; it was made of a white marble and was polished so I could see my reflection. The round Roman-styled pillars, which connected the floor to the ceiling, were made of the same material.

It took my eyes a few seconds to focus on what was in the room. Directly in front of us, on a slightly elevated piece of marble, were three chairs which looked to be thrones, only the middle one was empty. The one on the left was occupied by a man that, physically, looked much older than Aro. The only emotion I could diverge from his face was that of complete boredom. His hair was the same length as Aro and only a few shades lighter. The man who filled the seat on the right looked younger than Aro, but not by much. His hair was gold; the same color as the chair behind him. His expression held only a small fraction of interest.

My eyes then went to the multiple figures that had settled around the room. The first ones that caught my eyes were two children, maybe about twelve years old. The girl on the left was short, about five feet with pale brown hair which was pinned up in a tight bun which didn't seem to agree with how young she looked. Her eyes were the usual red color and her skin a pale white. She was dressed in dark blue, almost black, dress. Just by looking at her, I knew I would not like this little girl. I knew I was being a little judgmental and immature but there was something I didn't like about her. Her brother didn't impress me much either. It was easy to tell that the boy and girl were some how related. Same height, same dark brown hair and the same smugness was written across his young face.

I turned my attention to the two figures who were closest to Aro and I. The first man was tall and thick through the shoulders. His black hair was shaggy and grew down in front of his red eyes. His skin had an odd olive, pale complexion. The man next to him was tall also but he was much thinner. His short brown hair had an odd frosted effect to it. As a young woman I couldn't help but think the small one was sorta handsome. But then again, everyone in the room, and it appeared to me that probably every vampire, were sorta beautiful. I doubt there was ever such a thing as an average-looking vampire.

The next few hours were full of 'welcome's and 'glad to meet you's. It reminded me very much of when Oliver and I announced our engagement to the rest of Castlenaud-la-Chapel. It seemed so long ago, the memory was almost a blur. But I did remember the huge amount of judgment and criticism I felt from the citizens, especially the women. But now, I think I probably imagined the feeling of being judged when I first became part of the Volturi coven. It was just due to the huge amount of anxiety I felt when meeting new people.

I barely had enough time to learn someones name before another stepped up and introduced themselves. The first people to greet me were the two men closest to us. The big one was called Felix and the small, cute one was Demetri. I shook some many hands and learned some many names and saw some many faces I couldn't put very many together. As I made my way further into the room and was continued to be greeted by people I noticed that Aro was no longer by my side. He stayed back by the door and let me deal with this on my own. Aro's confidence in me not to say something stupid made me feel a little better. But only a little.

I eventually made my way to the two children who, like the rest of the coven, didn't hesitate to introduce themselves. "My name's Jane. It is so _nice _to meet you. I hope you find Volterra just as beautiful as we do." As she spoke those words an odd feeling manifested in my stomach. It was a feeling I'd never felt before. It was as though someone punched me in the stomach excepted it didn't really hurt. It was just an awkward sensation. The boy next to Jane, who I still assumed to be her brother, was about to introduce himself when I was engulfed in a hug.

After a moment of confusion I finally saw who was hugging. The woman was about the same height as me and her blonde hair was twisted back into a ponytail. Her skin was a powdery white color. She was wearing a dark yellow dress which had a small train in the back. She had a kind face and she was much prettier than me and everyone else in the room. "Hello, Claire. My name's Athenodora and I just know you're going to love it here." I couldn't help but smile. Athenodora appeared to be one of those girl who could become really annoying really quick but that didn't stop me from liking her.

Before I could mutter a 'thank you' Athenodora grabbed my hand and pulled me through the crowd. "I'll give a tour and that will give us time to get acquainted and become best friends." She announced in a happy, girlie tone. Before we exited the giant room I looked back at Aro, who was now talking to the two men sitting on the thrones. The last thing I saw before going through the door was a Aro's bright kind smile.


	9. Huit

It was impossible for there to be a single building this big. The hallways seemed to travel on forever. The decor was very similar to the great hall we had just left. Our feet barely made a sound as we passed by numerous archways and other doors. After we passed a descending stairwell I realized that the majority of the structure was probably underground. Athenodora was still as perky and positive as she was in the hall. My mind remained slightly paralyzed from the intensity of the of previous hours so I wasn't really following what Athenodora was saying. She didn't seem to notice though.

"...Volterra is really a great city. I can show you around town later. But I guess I should show you around here first. It's quite big. I still get lost sometimes." Athenodora's laugh was a rather high pitched giggle. I thought it fit her appearance very nicely. She turned instinctively down a small hallway and I followed. "I hear you're from France. What's it like?" She asked sincerely.

A small sigh escaped my lips. France. Even though it had only been a few days since I left my home country, my heart ached lightly in my chest. Even thought it was physically impossible for my heart to ache but it still felt that way. Later, I realized my love for France was brought on by my need for a constant. A constant besides myself and the other immortals which surrounded me. France was my constant. Even as Paris and the rest of the country grew though the centuries the land, and the people, remained the same to me. Us French are not a fan of change.

My trip down memory lane was broken by the loud awkward silence which filled the air between Athenodora and I. I felt compelled to give the curious woman a rather descriptive explanation of my former home. She seemed satisfied as I finished describing my only memory of Paris. "Where are you from?" I asked randomly.

"Sulci. A rather large city on the southwest corner of Sardinia. It's only about a hundred leagues from the coast but I haven't been there since Caius changed me. All I remember about the city was it's rather large bay which was used for fishing and small boats. But I'm sure it's changed very much in the past twelve hundred years." She spoke as if she had no desire to return to her homeland. I could never imagine that there would be a time when I did not want to visit France.

"Who's Caius?" I asked offhandedly, hoping he wasn't one of the many people I'd already met.

Athenodora immediately lit up again and the excitement crept back into her voice. "Caius? He's my husband. Well, if you can call what we have a marriage. We never had, like, an actually ceremony or anything. But we're like you and Aro." And what were Aro and I? I loved him but -. I pushed the imposing thought away before it could spell itself out. I pretended to examine the passing wall so I could protect any sign on my face of the thought that had started to form from Athenodora. Still, I wasn't sure if she had detected anything.

Athenodora's tour was long but entertaining, which, I was sure, was due to grandness of the Volturi's home and Athenodora's chipper attitude. I could find no difference in the floor or walls as we moved through the halls and rooms. The library contained the largest amount of books I had ever seen. The thick wooden shelves were filled with old, dusty, leather-bound books. The shelves ran the length of the multiple walls and reached up the to the point where the roof began curve into the shape of a dome. I could read but the only books I was ever allowed to touch were the Bible and a few other religious texts. I never knew that some many books existed. I was overwhelmed. The other rooms were just as elegant and grand as the library but they were unable to impress me. I was set on the library being my favorite room.

I had no concept of how much time had passed as Athenodora and I walked the halls together. We passed no windows, which further re-enforced my idea that we were underground. I lost track of how many staircases we walked up and down, so I couldn't estimate how far we were underground. Occasionally we passed a canvas painting hung on the wall but there was nothing visible to distinguish between the hallways. With the usual absence of effort, I followed Athenodora up what must had been our hundredth set of stairs. A large square window was built into the wall opposite the top of the stairs. The city was still covered in darkness but I could see a hint of light creeping over the mountains to the east.

The new hallway was wider and the stone walls appeared to be a lighter shade of brown but the marble floor was still the same. I listened quietly as Athenodora described her favorite place in the city, which was apparently visible from the window we had just passed. She finished her part of the conversation as we approached a single door at the end of the hallway. It was awkward looking; a lone oak door surrounded by large stone bricks. "This is yours and Aro's room. He should be up soon so this is where I leave you." She sounded more professional now than she did though entire tour. Athenodora opened the oak door before disappearing down the hallway.

I entered the room not sure what to expect.

*Author's Note*

Sorry for the wait!


End file.
